Hanger



B. H. IVES Aug. z3, 1949.

HANGE R 2 SheecS-Shee 1 Filed April 8, 1946 Aug. 239 E949. y B. H. NES 2,479,839

HANGER Filed April 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 HANGER Burton Howard Ives, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Rockford Automotive Industries, Inc., De Kalb, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 8, 1946, Serial No. 660,371

8 Claims. 1

The present invention relates generally to a door hanger and the like, but more particularly to a novel and improved anti-friction hanger of the ball bearing type whereby the inner ball race is conical in shape and the outer ball race is an elongated, substantially straight member. My improved hanger has a special adaptation for such purposes as door appliances on motor trucks, motor buses, garages, street cars or may be employed in connection with a drawer, tray, shelf or other equipment such as a conveyor system for material handling and the like.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide Va simple, eicient hanger and flexible mounting therefor, whereby the bearings and bearing races are so arranged that the load is properly distributed on the balls and raceways to more emciently secure a freely rolling contact between the balls and raceways.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved hanger construction of ball bearings and bearing race type whereby the thrust loading is directed from one ball to another in a manner which increases the free rotation of the anti-friction members when the pressure is applied.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novely and improved hanger arrangement of ball bearings and bearing races whereby the ball rotations and contacts along the longitudinal raceways are transferred to a series of smaller balls in such a manner as to cause the smaller balls to rotate between the peripheries of the larger balls and the conical raceways.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved hanger construction of ball bearings and bearing races, whereby the ball rotation and contact along the longitudinal raceway is supported and balanced by a series of smaller ball'sto maintain an equalized relation between the balls and ball races, all of which lends itself toward the greatest anti-,friction quality of the hanger.

A further object of the invention is to pro-v vide novel and improved hanger in which different sizes of balls, in combination with conical shaped raceways and longitudinally extending raceways of arcuate cross section, provide an assembly which eliminates all friction.

rlhese and other objects are accomplished by providing a construction and an arrangement i the various parts in the manner hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevational View of my improved hanger;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View taken on the linel 2 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a slightly modied form of the hanger shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 5--5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of another modiied form in which a longitudinally extending inner race member is employed;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross sectional View taken on the line 'I-l in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 6.

In illustrating the preferred form of my invention, I have shown the same embodied in a sliding door construction, but it will, of course, be understood that the important features embodied herein are capable of a variety of uses hereinbefore pointed out. l

In the drawings, particularly Figs. 1, 2 and 3, longitudinally extending and horizontally disposed spaced apart raceway members I0 are supported from a super-structure in any conventional manner. The members I0 in this instance may be a single channel member if so desired. The lower portion of each of these members are arcuately curved in cross section throughout their length as shown at II so that the curved surfaces of each of the members II) form the longitudinal raceways for the respective large bearing balls I2. Two large bearing balls I2 in each set, as in-' dicated at A and B, are mounted in oppositely disposed annular race rings I3. The race rings 13 are provided with conically shaped or beveled bores I4. The bores in these race rings I3 are of such a diameter as to permit a substantial portion of the periphery of each of the large balls I2 to protrude therefrom so as to contact or ride on the arcuate portion II of each of the oppositely disposed longitudinally extending raceways I0. In this connection it will be noted that the oppositely disposed bearing balls I2 contact or ride adjacent the smaller diameter of the rings I3 as shown at I5 of the tapered bores I4. The inner portions of each of these race rings I3 are provided with annular recesses as shown at I6 so that they may be press fitted or otherwise secured in an aperture I1 on the opposite sides of a supporting member or plate I8. Positioned between the large bearing balls I2 and adjacent the larger diameter of the respect to one another so that when the load is suspended on the supporting plate I8, the direction of thrust on the anti-friction member isfl borne in the direction indicated` by the= arrow in Fig. 3 of the drawings andnthereby reducesther friction to a minimum to provide an exceptionally freely and easily movable hanger support.

The sliding member or doorif'rame this i`nstance is indicated by the reference character: 28 and comprises a metal frame member of a hollow squarecross section which has .attached on the upper edge thereof "spacediaparthanger brackets 2l whichv have theirlbwer endssecuredby welding 2`2` or otherwise to the topfofthe frame member 2l).v TheseA brackets -2l. ar'esecured to' the center of the retainer plate' I'B between the twoanti.friction assemblies ALandf B by alpinl 21 which'. extends through suitable aligned apertures Min each' of the brackets Ziand through anaperture 25 in. the plate I8. Mounted. in the apertures Zlof the supporting'plate" I't` is spacer sleeve 26 through which. the. pin. 23" extends. The' sleeve 2'6 is offsuicient'width so' as to provide clearance for the plate I8, as clearly-shown 'in'Figf 2 ot the drawings, Positioned irra suitableaper: ture 21 Yin the supporting member.' 118' is'a felt wiper or cleaner 28 which projectsoutwardlywith re= spect to the member I8"so as. to contact the raceway surface I I of each of' thelongitudi'nal tracks I 0 as clearly shown 'in Fig. 2 vofthe" drawings.

In Figs. 4 and"5"oi"tle drawings", I'haveslrown a slightly modiiiedformof'my'invention.' as shown" in Figs. 1 to 3"incl`usive; .soast`o"`1nake`v the door more easily detachable from the anti'friction'as sembly of the lhanger without" the" necessity of removingV the anti-friction. assembly from the longitudinal track wlien"th'e door is. removed "or for attaching the door to tHe hanger properlwh'en the. anti-friction assemblyis' mounted' on the track.. In this. modid`v form, the supporting member 1.8 is proVidedwith asubstantiall'y in! vertedJL-shaped; slot;y generally. indicated.. by the referencefcharacter 28;- Vwhich .extends upwardly andropens atthe. lower; edge. ofthe member |18' and, thence. laterally toaV point. substantially` in the longitudinal-centerthereotto form a semicircular recess: asllshovvn-,ati 30.l Adjacentr` the semi-circular"` slot .30 -isx a. longitudinally extending projectionl 3-Il, the upper' edgeA of which, as shown at v32', f-ormsf the support for" they spacer sleeve ZBrandpin: 23 ioxrsustainingtherweight of. ther-door;A Fromi the above it will bef'obvi'ous that the sleeveZ'andzthe pin 2% maybe'easilyattached' toror detached from the-member l8`throughthe mediumy ot the? inverted:v L Shaped slot 2911 In:` ordexrt'ofsecure the parts; inposition, al second pin' aafmaybee inserted.-inlalignedlapertures @meiny theopposite-:brackets l2x12-sof asi to"lock-ortprevent disthezsemi-circul'ar recess--3lll- The pin A33f isr` securedE imposition bytheusuall Getter-pin 35i From theabove description it will? be obvious'that thefmodiiibationshownj iii-*Figs 4 fand 51 of the' drawings; permits theattachment" or removal of' thedoorl fromthe' retainer plate assembly without remov= members' 4l).l

ing the assembly from the longitudinal raceways In the modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 6, 'l and 8 of the drawings, I have provided an arrangement in which the longitudinal track or raceway is located between the two large bearing,.bal1s..l.2... Witlnthis arrangement, two setsA off;P annul'arli arranged relatively smaller bearing balls I9 are positioned with each of the ,respective larger bearings balls so that the weight sustained by these anti-friction members is such that it provides a very eicient and freely moving frictionless hanger. In these figures the parts whichare` commonrto all forms of the invention I disclosed-in` this application carry the same reference numerals. This modified form includes a longitudinally"extending rail member or track 36 whicl'n'isprovided with oppositely disposed arcuately formed and longitudinally extending raceways 3'Lin which are adapted to travel the two oplositely disposed' bearingball's I2? Tlie balls l2 aremounted in the rings' I3- similar to that 'shownin' Figs; 1"; 2"and3"of'the' drawings; The rings' f3 'arepressg-.tted into adapters" orizircular` mem'- bers 38"Whicir; in turn, are* nfxountedinv aligned apertures'Q "formed iirtlieoppositely positioned supporting frame members 40; Themembers 40; areseoure'd" 'ttigetl'ienbyv spaced"apart` pins 4I and'V heldin spaced'irelation with'respe'ct to one another-by spacer sleeves 42";v (See Figs; 6-v` and. 'l

of theu drawingsJ" The tdoorv is suspended from the hanger proper` by the spaced apart brackets 2|" by" means'. of' a; pin` 43l extending, through aligned. apertures 4'4"- tov the opposite supporting spacer sleevei4`5is mounted on: tl'iecentral'portionoftlie. pin 4:3 and extends through` aligned apertures" 4t in' each of the alignedlianger' brackets'2l". (See Fig. 8ofl the drawings) Inwardlxz'jextendingv bosses t 4T areweldedito tl'ieinner surfaces -of eachof the opposite supporting'n inemlcersA 40"'soY that their innershouldersabut' theendsf'ofthesleeve 45 and afordsuilcientclearanceV for the spaeed apart Hanger 'bracket 21".

Intliemodi'iiedirmof my invention; as shownV in Figs. 6,.'7 and 8 of the drawings;A the'direction of tire tl'rrust on the anti*-iiilctioir bearing members orb'alls" i's'exert'ed' ii'r a direction indicated by the' arrowdnFig: 7"'of the' drawings so that the function and-'operation of theserespective parts are substantially identical with" that shown in Figs. 1,.2"and? of'thedrawings. The modified form-shown in Figs; 6, 7 anda is preferably4 for certain applicationsrwhere suclichange' of construction" is required.

summarizing' theadvantagesV andifunction ofi operationfofmyv-improved type' ofhanger., it will befreadily' seen that lZhaVe provided'a verysimple, compactiandl eiicierrt hangerof" the ball bearing typefandionewhichtincorporates anewmethod of balli-bearing mounting whereinthe thrust load is sustained directly'l by' the bearing`A ballsu in a. direction towards the respective raceways, to thereby perniitthe^balls'-'to' freely rotate with a minimumv of friction on-` themovement of the hangerv as a; whole: Itis' further pointed" out thatboth` of" these" forms ofv antiefrictionz mountin'gs are soconstru'ctedand arrangedto equalize the' load on the bearing ra'ceways' soas' to'decrease' the roller friction in proportionk to the' load increase;

llvliiieinn the above" specifc'ation I have described one preferred'embodimentzanda modication of the same which my inventionmay assume in practice, it will? ofcourse, be understood that the same is capable of modication and that modication may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hanger supporting member, a plurality of different sizes of bearing balls including relatively large balls and relatively small balls carried by said supporting member, and oppositely disposed retainer rings carried by said supporting member and having conically shaped bores therein forming raceways for said balls, all of said balls engageable with the conically shaped bores of said rings.

2. A hanger comprising a supporting member, a plurality of different sizes of bearing balls including relatively large balls and relatively small balls carried by said supporting member, and oppositely disposed retainer rings carried by said supporting member and having conically shaped bores therein forming raceways for said balls, certain of said balls being arranged annularly of and between certain other of said balls.

3. A hanger comprising a supporting plate, relatively large balls located adjacent the opposite sides of said plate and portions of their surface projecting outwardly from said plate, means secured to said plate for retaining said balls in said plate, relatively smaller bearing balls mounted in said plate and supported therein by said means.

4. A hanger comprising a supporting member, relatively large bearing balls projecting laterally from said member, a plurality of annularly arranged and relatively smaller bearing balls mounted between and engaging said larger balls, and retainer members secured to said member and engageable with both sizes of balls for retaining said balls in operative position.

5. A hanger comprising a supporting member, relatively large bearing balls projecting laterally from said member, a plurality of annularly arranged and relatively smaller bearing balls mounted between and engaging said larger balls,

and oppositely disposed retainer rings secured .f

to said member having tapered raceways therein for engaging said large and small bearing balls for retaining all of said balls in operative position with respect to one another.

6. A hanger `comprising a supporting member,

relatively large bearing balls projecting laterally from said member, a plurality of annularly arranged and relatively smaller bearing balls mounted between and engaging said larger balls, and oppositely disposed retainer rings secured to and projecting outwardly from said member, said retainer rings having conically shaped raceways therein engageable with said large and small bearing balls for retaining all of said balls in operative relation.

7. A hanger comprising a supporting member, relatively large bearing balls projecting laterally from said member, a plurality of annularly arranged and relatively smaller bearing balls mounted between and engaging said larger balls, and oppositely disposed retainer rings for all of said balls secured to and projecting outwardly from said member, said retainer rings having conically shaped raceways formed therein with the larger diameters of the raceways oi said rings positioned adjacent one another.

8. A hanger 'comprising a supporting member, two relatively large and laterally spaced apart bearing balls carried by said member, the longitudinal center plane of said supporting member located between said large balls, relatively smaller bearing balls arranged annularly between said large balls for holding said large balls in spaced apart position, and retainer rings secured to said supporting member and engageable with all of said balls for retaining all of said balls in operative position.

BURTON HOWARD IVES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

VUNITED STATES PATENTS 

